shut-in

1 of 3

noun

ˈshət-ˌin 

1

: a person who is confined to home, a room, or bed because of illness or incapacity

2

: a narrow gorge-shaped part of an otherwise wide valley

3

: available oil or gas which is not being produced from an existing well

shut-in

2 of 3

adjective

ˈshət-ˈin 

1

: confined to one's home or an institution by illness or incapacity

2

a

: secretive, brooding

… a bitter, shut-in face.

—Claudia Cassidy

b

: tending to avoid social contact : withdrawn

… the shut-in or seclusive type of personality …

—S. K. Weinberg

shut in

3 of 3

verb

shut in; shutting in; shuts in

transitive verb

1

: confine, enclose

2

: to prevent production of (oil or gas) by closing down a well

Examples of shut-in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Hamad Hussain, climate and commodities economist at Capital Economics, pointed out in a separate note Monday that tankers need to fill up on gulf supplies in order for shut-in production to restart. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 15 June 2026

The Atlantic Council has warned that if shale producers lost access to export markets, oil production shut-ins would follow, harming domestic producers and global consumers. — Dan Eberhart, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026

Adjective

Hamad Hussain, climate and commodities economist at Capital Economics, pointed out in a separate note Monday that tankers need to fill up on gulf supplies in order for shut-in production to restart. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 15 June 2026

Smith estimated Iran may have roughly 30 days before shoreside storage faces severe capacity constraints under current conditions, while warning that older fields or marginal wells could already be facing early shut-in pressures. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for shut-in

• akin
• auxin
• buckskin
• chagrin
• crankpin
• deerskin
• foreskin
• fuchsin
• herein
• kingpin
• linchpin
• pigskin

Kids Definition

shut-in

noun

ˈshət-ˌin

: a sick person unable to go outdoors

Medical Definition

shut-in

1 of 2 noun

ˈshət-ˌin 

: a person who is confined to home, a room, or bed because of illness or incapacity

shut-in

2 of 2 adjective

ˌshət-ˌin 

1

: confined to one's home or an institution by illness or incapacity

2

: tending to avoid social contact : withdrawn

diagnostic and prognostic significance of the shut-in personality type

—S. K. Weinberg